Japanese Cookbooks
I would like to learn as much as I can about Japanese cuisine -- the full range -- what cookbooks do you recommend as primers?
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4 Comments:
I am a big fan of Elizabeth Andoh's Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen. Mrs. Andoh grew up in NYC but moved to Japan over 30 years ago and is today one of the leading experts on Japanese cooking (she lives in Tokyo and gives cooking classes and leads tours of the markets there. Someday I hope to take one.)
Washoku is about a philosophy of cooking that involves the number five (see this interview with Andoh for details). The book starts out with about 100 pages of detailed description of ingredients and cooking techniques, with plenty of illustrations. Then she has lots of recipes. Just about every one I have tried has worked. Many I have made numerous times (like the tofu with savory miso paste and the vegetable stew with konnyaku).
For a historical and aesthetic introduction to Japanese food, I highly recommend Donald Richie's "A Taste of Japan." It's out of print but easy to find on the internet (Abebooks.com, bookfinder.com, etc.). Richie is a wonderful writer.
Marc at 11:37AM on 09/30/07
Like I said in the other thread "Japanese Cooking: A SImple Art" is an amazing book. Shizou Tsuji wrote it. The recipes work, the prose in intriguing and well written and the few pictures there are are very nice.
coolname at 3:23PM on 09/30/07
Thank you both. I will order both books. We are planning a trip to Tokyo, for food, so I will definitely look up Mrs. Andoh's market tour!
earlydrive at 9:20PM on 10/01/07
Definitely definitely buy Masaharu Morimoto's new book:
Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking.
He not only gives excellent recipes but goes through many wonderful explanations on technique and introductions to Japanese Cooking. And if that doesn't convince you, the pictures are gorgeous!
I met him and he signed my copy :)
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 6:32PM on 10/04/07